AI Robodogs Can Follow Commands—But Can They Replace Guide Dogs?

As companies like Boston Dynamics integrate advanced models into machines like Spot, some see a potential solution to the global guide‑dog shortage. But there’s one thing the technology still struggles to replicate.

Illustration: Getty Images

If you’re a dog, you’re probably not worried about AI replacing you. In fact you’re probably not worrying about the labor market at all. Unless you’re a working guide dog however, and in that case you better watch out.

Or so says Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind, which reported last week that they are integrating Google Gemini into a new robodog, Spot. Spot uses cameras to interpret language instructions and carry them out on its own. This video demonstration shows Spot reading a to-do list and fulfilling the tasks listed. 

Robotic dogs are not, like so many AI moonshots, a flight of fancy. Recently, robot dogs have been introduced as a possible solution to a guide dog shortage—one created, in part by the complexity and expense of training such companions.

A recent article in Popular Science by Mack DeGeurin reported that the rigorous training service dogs go through can cost upwards of $50,000. Even those humans who can afford the training and extra expenses might not find a dog that fits their needs. 

Vibe-Coding for Beginners in Five Easy Steps

With the power of AI, however “robodogs” can technically understand human speech, and thus a wider range of commands than real dogs can. And with integrations like GPS, a robotic service dog can even follow a set route to a destination, elevating their utility to those with disabilities like blindness.

But what good is a dog you can’t pet? How useful is a guide that can’t fundamentally know you on a biological level?

The Power of Invisible Care

A group of researchers at the University of Turku and Aalto University in Finland recently studied the lives of thirteen service dogs and their owners to understand if the bond between human and dog bond is really all that special. 

© Inc.com